Feedback on letter re: election postponement

[xocolatl]

Postponement/cancellation of the election is a dangerous meme that needs to be killed as soon as possible. I am planning to send the following letter to my rep in congress and the one MA senator who is not running for president.

Please let me know if you have any comments, suggestions, or any other feedback; and feel free to use it as a template for your own letter.

Posted in another thread


Dear Senator ,

I am greatly disturbed by recent reports of discussions on postponing the presidential election in the wake of a terrorist attack. For example, a CNN headline read “Officials discuss how to delay Election Day”, (CNN’s website, July 11, 2004, 10:42 PM EDT).

Elections were held in 1862 and 1864 – during the American Civil War. Elections were held during the First and Second World Wars. Elections were held during the Great Depression. Why should they not be held after a terrorist attack?

It may be reasonable to delay elections in a local area affected by a terrorist attack, but there is no justification for delaying the elections nationwide. Such a public discussion is merely an invitation for terrorists to tamper with our electoral process.

Furthermore, I question the impartiality of DeForest Soaries Jr., chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (an agency set up by the Bush administration). Soaries, a Baptist minister and Bush appointee, is as partisan an official as there ever could be. In the event of a terrorist attack and postponed election, how can the public be assured that the electoral process would not be manipulated in such a way as to be advantageous to the incumbent?

Please fight against this dangerous idea in Congress. Tell your colleagues that postponing the election is inimical to the democratic process and unacceptable to Americans. If, in succumbing to paranoia, we abandon the foundations of democracy, then terrorists have indeed won.

Sincerely,
xocolatl

[randr]

1. Thanks xocolatl!

I am passing it along to my mailing list.
There should be no Senator or Rep that does not get this today!

[Bluzmann57]

2. Very good letter

I would like to use it as a model to write to my local congressman. Thank you for allowing us to use it as an example. Nussle, Harkin, and Grassley are going to get something close to this today. Welcome to DU by the way!

[Eloriel]

3. Please remember

No one of any importance is going to actually read your letter. At best, your letter will be quickly scanned to determine the subject and your basic position on it (aye or nay) and that will be noted as another hashmark to the totals.

That said, it's a fine letter.

[Hubert Flottz]

4. The holding up the vote in congress until they get the votes they

need trick, has worked so well for the GOPstapo, that they want to take that show on the road! "This Aggression should not stand!"

EDIT} It's a fine letter!

[Stew225]

5. great letter and, due to my own time restrictions,

I will use the letter as a template to write to my senator/congressman.

[nickinSTL]

6. great letter

Great letter.

I've already sent my own to my rep and senators.

[DBoon]

7. Send a letter to your County Supervisors

Counties conduct elections. We need to get the County governments behind "no election cancellation".

Counties must hold the elections regardless of any effort by the Feds to dictate otherwise.

[Neecy]

8. great letter

Alas, your Senators will be far too busy to read it this week. You see, they're grappling with an issue that has great national importance - far more than delaying a federal election - gay marriage.

[PA Democrat]

9. Yes, I already wrote both my senators

to voice my outrage at their twisted priorities. Sad that soiling the constitution with bigotry and hate is their top priority.

[Neecy]

10. it really is sad

I think that now, for opportunistic political reasons, the Senate has debated gay marriage and judicial appointments more than they debated the war prior to our attack.

What in the world are we paying these people for?